[Experience with aprepitant in the prevention of nausea and vomiting caused by highly emetic chemotherapy of lung cancer]

Magy Onkol. 2008 Jun;52(2):179-83. doi: 10.1556/MOnkol.52.2008.2.6.
[Article in Hungarian]

Abstract

Approximately one half of cancer patients experience nausea or vomiting during chemotherapy containing high-dose cisplatin, despite the use of a corticosteroid and 5-hydroxytryptamine(3) (5-HT(3)) receptor antagonists. The addition of aprepitant, a neurokinin 1 receptor antagonist, improves control of emesis by a further 15-20%, and improves late phase symptoms (>24 h after chemotherapy). The cornerstone of standard first line lung cancer chemotherapy is high-dose cisplatin. Our experience with aprepitant in the chemotherapy of 10 lung cancer patients is described, who reported more than one episode of vomiting caused by chemotherapy despite the use of ondansetron previously. Aprepitant prevented acute and late phase oncoming vomiting in all 10 patients and acute and late phase nausea in 9 of the 10 patients. According to our experience on a limited number of patients, aprepitant may be of clinical benefit in the supportive treatment of lung cancer, in achieving better quality of life during chemotherapeutic cycles in these patients.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Antiemetics / therapeutic use*
  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / administration & dosage
  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / adverse effects*
  • Aprepitant
  • Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / drug therapy
  • Carcinoma, Small Cell / drug therapy
  • Cisplatin / administration & dosage
  • Cisplatin / adverse effects*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Lung Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Morpholines / therapeutic use*
  • Nausea / chemically induced
  • Nausea / drug therapy*
  • Quality of Life
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Vomiting / chemically induced
  • Vomiting / prevention & control*

Substances

  • Antiemetics
  • Morpholines
  • Aprepitant
  • Cisplatin